The invention relates to a method for forming bundles from stackable objects, involving at least one stacking device provided with a shaft, a conveying apparatus for feeding the stackable objects to the stacking device, and an additional conveying apparatus for transporting away the formed bundles. The invention furthermore relates to a device for forming bundles assembled from stackable objects.
Print products such as books, magazines, and brochures frequently must be combined into bundles and palletized. For the palletizing, it is important to ensure that a predetermined height is not exceeded and the formed stack is stable.
European Patent document EP 1 348 653 discloses a method for forming and palletizing bundles containing print products, for which partial bundles are lifted with the aid of a hoisting device from a conveying element and are subsequently lowered back down into the same plane. The completed bundles are supplied to a palletizer and deposited with a predetermined pattern on a pallet.
European patent document EP 1 491 477 A, commonly owned by the assignee of the present application, also discloses a method and a device for forming bundles, wherein the bundles are formed by lifting individual products with the aid of a stacking device from a conveying element, staggering these products with the aid of two lifting elements, and finally lowering the formed bundle once more to the plane of the aforementioned conveying element and transporting it away with a different conveying element.